62 SIDE DISHES SO GOOD THEY'LL UPSTAGE YOUR BAKED HAM
As you gather around the table this holiday season, a beautiful glazed ham just screams "special occasion." But, while it may be the centerpiece, it can't stand all on its own. What's missing? All the amazingly easy side dishes that'll really make the meal one to remember. These sides can round out your dinner menu and make sure that your celebratory ham is balanced by incredible veggies, potatoes, homemade breads, and more. Check out our 62 recipes for side dishes that go with ham, and you’re sure to be inspired to make a killer, fully-rounded dinner.
We love a creamy side dish to help cut the salty, slight sweetness of ham. The creamiest of them all? Potatoes, of course! We love classic mashed or scalloped potatoes, but have also included some novel takes on the humble spud, like our French onion smashed potatoes, our roasted fingerling potatoes (the secret to their superb crispness is cornstarch), melting potatoes, or our garlic smashed potatoes. If you really want to wow at the dinner table, try out a new technique for serving potatoes, like in our mashed potato casserole.
Speaking of veggies, we’ve got those too! Everything from basic sautés and roasts, like our sugar snap peas or cacio e pepe Brussels sprouts, to more elaborate vegetable sides, like our French onion cabbage gratin, pimento cheese-stuffed mini peppers, or crispy Parmesan ranch smashed carrots. Whichever you go with, they’re all delicious enough to stand alone and go well with a bite of ham.
Lastly, we also know how lovely it is to pair the perfect cut of spiral ham with a pillowy, crusty roll, so we’ve included a few of our favorite carb-y sides too. Check out our peanut butter-honey cornbread, our fluffy potato rolls (make them with extra baked or mashed potatoes!), or our goat cheese stuffed rolls.
And yes, we have plans for your leftover ham as well. Check out our other favorite side dishes for year-round too.
Balsamic Glazed Carrots
Roasted carrots are a classic easy side dish that we turn to time and time again, whether we're serving up a holiday dinner or a quick weeknight meal. One of our favorite ways to serve them? Topping them with a balsamic glaze that makes them feel extra special (without a ton of work).
Get the Balsamic Glazed Carrots recipe.
Boursin Mac & Cheese
Few dishes generate as many internet debates and passionate opinions as a classic mac and cheese. But, this four-ingredient, 20-minute Boursin mac is one that everyone can get behind.
Get the Boursin Mac & Cheese recipe.
Spinach Salad
We use crisp apple, sliced red onion, briny feta, and toasted almonds in this salad for the perfectly balanced bowl. To go the extra mile, we definitely recommend toasting your own almonds. Not only does it give them a better texture, but it amplifies the flavor ten-fold.
Get the Spinach Salad recipe.
Roasted Potatoes
When it comes to versatile sides, it’s difficult to beat classic roasted potatoes. Whether you’re incorporating them into your breakfast bowl or with your steak dinner, roasted potatoes complete practically any main they’re served alongside.
Get the Roasted Potatoes recipe.
Creamed Brussels Sprouts
This method upgrades Brussels sprouts while still allowing them to be the star of the show. It also helps the Brussels sprouts retain their moisture in the oven—even the staunchest Brussels sprout skeptics will be asking for seconds.
Get the Creamed Brussels Sprouts recipe.
French Onion Smashed Potatoes
These French onion smashed potatoes are calling your name. Crispy smashed baby Yukons are topped with caramelized onions and gooey Gruyère for a snackable bite-sized spin on the beloved classic soup.
Get the French Onion Smashed Potatoes recipe.
Bacon & Pimento Mac & Cheese
To give a new spin on the superior comfort food, we decided to give it a kick that makes you say, “Maybe I can go for seconds—or thirds!” From the kick of the pimento peppers and tabasco to the bacon crumble in the sauce and the breadcrumbs, this jacked-up variation keeps every bite interesting.
Get the Bacon & Pimento Mac & Cheese recipe.
Crispy Parmesan Ranch Smashed Carrots
Tossed in ranch powder seasoning and Parmesan and roasted until crispy on the outside but still a little soft and chewy in the center, these Parmesan ranch smashed carrots will be the first appetizer gone at any party you take them to.
Get the Crispy Parmesan Ranch Smashed Carrots recipe.
Potatoes Au Gratin
Mashed potatoes might be the go-to holiday side dish, but if you really want to impress your guests, you’ve got to make these potatoes au gratin. Infused with garlic and thyme and layered with Gruyère and Parmesan, a bubbling dish of these rich and creamy potatoes will truly stop the show.
Get the Potatoes Au Gratin recipe.
Brussels Sprout Salad
When we want to incorporate this veggie into our holiday dinners, we turn to this fresh, seasonal salad. With toasted almonds, shaved Parmesan, and pomegranate seeds, this is the holiday side that will convert even the biggest Brussels sprout haters.
Get the Brussels Sprout Salad recipe.
Homemade Mac & Cheese
Here at Delish, our best-ever mac & cheese is perfect for any occasion, from family weeknight dinners to holiday spreads. In our book, the perfect macaroni and cheese recipe has to nail three things: be extra creamy, plenty cheesy, and paired with a golden, crunchy topping.
Get the Homemade Mac & Cheese recipe.
French Onion Cabbage Gratin
In this French onion cabbage gratin, crisp browned cabbage wedges are smothered in a rich Gruyère sauce packed with jammy caramelized onions and topped with buttery breadcrumbs for a side that’s so irresistible, you might be tempted to make it the main event.
Get the French Onion Cabbage Gratin recipe.
Pimento Cheese-Stuffed Mini Peppers
In my opinion, pimento cheese is infinitely better when it’s served warm, and a small pepper becomes the perfect vessel for it in this recipe. These are a really good vegetarian alternative to a jalapeño popper, so everyone can enjoy them.
Get the Pimento Cheese-Stuffed Mini Peppers recipe.
Crispy Parmesan Broccoli Stem Fries
Broccoli at dinner? Don’t throw those stems away. Rolled in a spiced Parmesan panko and air fried to crispy perfection, these broccoli stem fries are a delicious way to transform your kitchen scraps.
Get the Crispy Parmesan Broccoli Stem Fries recipe.
Roasted Green Beans
For a vegetable side to reach the regular rotation, it has to be delicious and a no-brainer—just like these shallot-y roasted green beans. Simply toss fresh beans in olive oil and season with some salt and pepper before roasting on high heat, then finish under the broiler.
Get the Roasted Green Beans recipe.
Potato Gratin Bundles
In this potatoes au gratin upgrade, thin-skinned red potatoes get sliced, layered in parchment, smothered in a creamy, cheesy, garlicky sauce, then baked until steaming and tender.
Get the Potato Gratin Bundles recipe.
Best Mashed Potatoes
Quick: Name one thing better than creamy, buttery, steamy, perfect mashed potatoes! See? You can't! So put down the instant potatoes, grab your favorite spuds, a large pot, a masher, and let's get ready for comfort in a bowl.
Get the Best Mashed Potatoes recipe.
Melting Sweet Potatoes
Coated in a savory maple-miso sauce, these melting sweet potatoes are here to challenge everything we think a sweet potato can be—and win us over with their deliciousness.
Get the Melting Sweet Potatoes recipe.
Peanut Butter-Honey Cornbread
Adding peanut butter to your cornbread might not be something you’ve considered before, but I highly encourage you to try it. The peanut butter is subtle, but makes the nuttiness of the cornmeal stand out, and really amplifies the overall flavor without being overpowering.
Get the Peanut Butter-Honey Cornbread recipe.
Tennessee Onions
We're not crying, you’re crying. Sure, our eyes might be stinging from peeling and slicing this many onions, but we're also claiming these tears as happy tears, because a simple, versatile dish with this much cheese can only be happy, right? Right.
Get the Tennessee Onions recipe.
Mashed Cauliflower
This cauliflower mash recipe is the perfect low-carb substitute to mashed potatoes. The secret to making steamed cauliflower smooth and creamy? Cream cheese!
Get the Mashed Cauliflower recipe.
Sweet Potato Rolls
There is nothing better than a soft, homemade dinner roll. These rolls use sweet potatoes to make them even softer and fluffier, similar to our classic potato rolls. The tops are brushed with a honey butter and sprinkled with salt to play up both the savory and sweet side of a sweet potato.
Get the Sweet Potato Rolls recipe.
Crispy Domino Potatoes
If a pan of scalloped potatoes and a bag of chips got together, these domino potatoes would be their love child. Crisp and buttery on the edges, but soft and creamy in the center, these potatoes will reset the bar for everything you thought a potato could be.
Get the Crispy Domino Potatoes recipe.
Southern Collard Greens
Southern cooking can sometimes appear intimidating or too involved, but this recipe is anything but. All you need are a couple of hours, a handful of staple ingredients, smoked turkey, and your collard greens for an easy side that pairs incredibly with ham.
Get the Southern Collard Greens recipe.
Smashed Brussels Sprouts
In order to smash the Brussels sprouts, you need to boil them first. (Just like smashed potatoes!) Make sure to pat them dry, even after you smashed them, so that they crisp up in the oven. And don't skimp on the cheese!
Get the Smashed Brussels Sprouts recipe.
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Hawaiian macaroni salad is a creamy, tangy, iconic comfort food that is practically synonymous with the state—you can find it all over the islands. It’s very simple to prepare—you might already have all the ingredients on hand!—making it the perfect easy side to bring to Easter potlucks and BBQs.
Get the Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe.
Garlic-Parmesan Roasted Carrots
This recipe made us wonder, Why don’t we roast carrots more often? When they roast, their flavor concentrates and sweetens. Pair that with copious amounts of umami-packed Parmesan and just a touch of lemon, and you’ve got a super-irresistible dish that you’ll come back to again and again.
Get the Garlic-Parmesan Roasted Carrots recipe.
Cheesy Kale Orzo With Herbed Bread Crumbs
Here in this cheesy kale orzo recipe, we opt for the creamy risotto method, then top it with crunchy herbed bread crumbs for added texture. The best part of this method is that the orzo soaks up the cheese sauce, and you get an incredible sauce to pasta ratio.
Get the Cheesy Kale Orzo With Herbed Bread Crumbs recipe.
Classic Coleslaw
No potluck is complete without a big bowl of coleslaw, and our recipe is the best. More a fan of red cabbage? We got you—check out our red cabbage slaw too.
Get the Classic Coleslaw recipe.
Mashed Potato Casserole
Mashed potato casserole is the ultimate holiday side dish we’ve all been waiting for. It's bound to find its way onto your holiday dinner table at some point during the season, but it makes a great side dish any time of the year. It's creamy, fluffy, and oh so cheesy.
Get the Mashed Potato Casserole recipe.
Air Fryer Green Beans
Quick, easy, and made with the simplest ingredients, air fryer green beans give you tender, crispy results without having to turn on your oven or light up your stove. This rendition comes with a treat: 8 cloves of creamy, buttery roasted garlic.
Get the Air Fryer Green Beans recipe.
Peas & Carrots
A quick side dish is always appreciated, especially one as easy as this combo. It goes well with your steak dinners, your holiday ham, or your vegan meatloaf, but if you really love your peas and carrots, you could just eat this in one sitting, as a meal.
Get the Peas & Carrots recipe.
Pimiento Cheese Corn Muffins
The flavor squad is here to provide standard corn muffins with a mega boost. The result is pimiento cheese corn muffins, which take their cues from the classic Southern cheese dip. Packed with shredded cheddar, diced pimiento peppers, garlic powder, and a generous amount of cayenne, the result is a savory delight.
Get the Pimiento Cheese Corn Muffins recipe.
Green Bean Salad
Fresh green beans are tossed with cherry tomatoes, olives, and feta in a simple red wine vinaigrette for a Greek-inspired side that’s as light and fresh as it is seasonal. Best of all, it's a make-ahead winner of a side dish.
Get the Green Bean Salad recipe.
Potatoes Au Gratin Stacks
With a thinly sliced potatoes and a creamy cheese mixture, it's easy to see why this is a potato recipe that completes practically any dinner spread. No casserole dish needed here—a muffin tin, Russet potatoes, two types of cheese, heavy cream, and staple seasonings are all you need to create these cheesy stacks.
Get the Potatoes Au Gratin Stacks recipe.
Cacio E Pepe Brussels Sprouts
A quick roast on the sprouts gets the bottom crisp, and a healthy dusting of pecorino and Parmesan, as soon as they come out of the oven, will gently melt into them, reminding us of one of our favorite pastas, cacio e pepe.
Get the Cacio E Pepe Brussels Sprouts recipe.
Scalloped Potatoes
Unlike potatoes au gratin, which typically contain cheese, traditional scalloped potatoes are very simple: just thinly sliced potatoes cooked in a mixture of milk and heavy cream that’s infused with aromatics, such as shallots, garlic, and herbs. Our only add-on? A bit of finely shredded Parmesan.
Get the Scalloped Potatoes recipe.
Sautéed Mustard Greens
These tender greens are infused with smoky ham hocks or bacon ends and a dash or two of spicy pepper vinegar or hot sauce. Akin to a stir-fry, these finely shredded greens retain a wonderful bite, with a balance of tender pieces and crispy edges.
Get the Sautéed Mustard Greens recipe.
Melting Potatoes
Traditionally, melting potatoes are a simplified version of fondant potatoes, a French technique in which large rounds of potatoes are browned in butter on the stovetop, then transferred to the oven to roast with stock and butter.
Get the Melting Potatoes recipe.
Candied Carrots
Any dish that features the word “candied” is bound to be on the sweet side and more than likely something you won’t be eating every day. That said, don’t be shy about the amount of butter and brown sugar that goes into these candied carrots. Decadence is the goal here!
Get the Candied Carrots recipe.
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
These roasted fingerling potatoes are crisp, beautifully golden, and primed to become everyone's new go-to potato side. For some flavor we added rosemary and garlic but feel free to add any herbs or flavors to these potatoes.
Get the Roasted Fingerling Potatoes recipe.
Parmesan Roasted Green Beans
This side is like if green beans dressed up as cheesy garlic bread. Tossed in garlic and black pepper and showered with cheese, this simple yet irresistible side will steal the spotlight at every holiday table.
Get the Parmesan Roasted Green Beans recipe.
Shredded Brussels Sprouts
We love classic sautéed Brussels sprouts, but sometimes we crave something with a bit more kick. These slightly spicy, salty-sweet sprouts make a perfect side for ham.
Get the Shredded Brussels Sprouts recipe.
Wild Rice
It's time to go beyond the white and brown rice. Wild rice is one of our favorites for its nutty flavor and its chewy bite. This recipe uses slowly cooked onions and chicken stock to add a punch of savoriness, but the vegetal, toasty flavor of the rice itself is definitely the star.
Get the Wild Rice recipe.
Corn Casserole
This classic Southern side is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. If you prefer, drained and rinsed canned corn can be used instead of frozen, and you could substitute more milk in for the heavy cream. The finished casserole won't be quite as decadent, but it will still be delicious.
Get the Corn Casserole recipe.
Broccoli Salad
Lightly coated in a apple cider vinegar dressing, and tossed with almonds, carrots, red onions, and bacon, this summer salad is loaded with flavor and texture.
Get the Broccoli Salad recipe.
Homemade Biscuits
Biscuits can take on very different meanings in different parts of the world. In North America, they're meant to be a flaky and soft leavened quick bread. Ideally they should have tender flaky layers and an extra-buttery taste. An easier alternative to dinner rolls and equally good at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Get the Homemade Biscuits recipe.
Crispy Parmesan Potatoes
We love potatoes in any form, but these crispy Parmesan potatoes are extra-special. Crusted with crunchy golden brown cheese and served with a tangy sour cream and chive dip, they’re hard to resist.
Get the Crispy Parmesan Potatoes recipe.
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
Tossed in a honey and vinegar dressing and roasted until glazed and crisp, these sweet and tangy sprouts will steal the show wherever they go. Roasting at high heat on a bare metal sheet pan is key to getting gorgeously browned, crackling-crisp sprouts.
Get the Caramelized Brussels Sprouts recipe.
Southern-Style Cornbread
Northern cornbread is usually made with milk and butter, while this Southern-style recipe starts with bacon fat and is baked in a cast-iron skillet.
Get the Southern-Style Cornbread recipe.
Moroccan Carrot Salad
This carrot-and-raisin salad gets an upgrade with a slightly spicy, slightly sweet, and very addicting sauce. It brings out the sweet freshness of the carrots and makes the whole dish sing. We are tempted to pour it over all of our salads from here on out.
Get the Moroccan Carrot Salad recipe.
Garlic Smashed Potatoes
While starchier potatoes work great for things like fries, they won't hold up well in this preparation. Yukon golds are perfect because not only do they crisp up really nice, but they also have a buttery tenderness that gives you the ultimate texture contrast.
Get the Garlic Smashed Potatoes recipe.
Potato Rolls
Have a leftover baked potato? The only logical thing to do is to mash the insides and make dinner rolls. Fresh out of the oven, each roll has a crispy bottom, buttery top, and unbelievably soft center. The secret? The starch from the potatoes!
Get the Potato Rolls recipe.
Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower is one of our favorites to roast because, flavor-wise, it's very much a blank canvas. You can keep it simple with just salt and pepper or go nuts with a custom spice blend.
Get the Roasted Cauliflower recipe.
Beer Braised Cabbage
Don’t overlook the humble cabbage! This straight cabbage braise (without meat!) is the perfect way to experience cabbage in all its vegetal glory.
Get the Beer Braised Cabbage recipe.
Sugar Snap Peas
Consider this your reminder to not overlook humble sugar snap peas. This recipe is SO simple and makes for a lovely springy green side to pair with stronger flavors (like ham!).
Get the Sugar Snap Peas recipe.
Air Fryer Broccoli
Skip the oven and use your air fryer for perfectly crisp and tender broccoli. You can get away with minimal oil but still have it taste delicious. After a mere 10 minutes in the air fryer, you'll have an easy side ready to go!
Get the Air Fryer Broccoli recipe.
Colcannon
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made of creamy mashed potatoes and some green veggie. Most typically you'll find cabbage or kale, paired with some green aromatics like leeks and chives. Here, we opt for a scallion and kale combo for vibrant color and deeper, nuttier flavors.
Get the Colcannon recipe.
Creamed Spinach
Creamed spinach is a simple side dish that is also the perfect way to use up an abundance of dying spinach. The creaminess will make you forget you're eating greens!
Get the Creamed Spinach recipe.
Southern Baked Mac & Cheese
Three tips for this mac & cheese: 1. Make sure your pasta is super al dente. 2. Layer it like a lasagna! We put an entire layer of pure cheese in between two layers of (already cheesy) macaroni. 3. Whisking eggs and milk into a custard and pouring it over the mac & cheese will make it extra creamy, saucy, and decadent.
Get the Southern Baked Mac & Cheese recipe.
Garlicky Broccoli Rabe
Sautéing broccoli rabe with plenty of garlic and olive oil makes the greens flavorful and tender, and the slight bitterness balances the saltiness of ham in the best possible way.
Get the Garlicky Broccoli Rabe recipe.
Roasted Fennel With Delicata Squash & Apples
You may have seen crisp, anise-y fennel bulbs dotting the famers' market stands, nuzzling up alongside sweet delicata squash and tart apples. The three find their way into this healthy side dish that's perfect for elegant dinner party menus, simple weeknight meals, or paired with richer, holiday spreads.
Get the Roasted Fennel With Delicata Squash & Apples recipe.
